As devotees across Uttarakhand prepare to stand waist-deep in rivers at dawn, offering arghya (ritual water offerings) to the rising sun, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has extended warm greetings to the state's residents — and especially to the Purvanchal community — on the occasion of Chhath Puja, one of India's most demanding and devout folk festivals.

In a message shared by the Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand on Saturday, 14 November 2026, CM Dhami described Chhath Puja as 'lok aastha ka mahaparv' — 'the grand festival of popular faith' — calling it 'an unparalleled celebration of Indian culture, folk devotion, purity, and gratitude toward nature.' He said the festival, dedicated to the worship of Lord Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya, carries a message of nature conservation, discipline, restraint, and dedication.

A festival that travels with its people

Chhath Puja is rooted in the traditions of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh — the Purvanchal belt — but it has travelled wherever those communities have settled. Uttarakhand, a state shaped significantly by internal migration, hosts a substantial Purvanchal diaspora in its cities and industrial towns, making Chhath an increasingly visible and socially significant festival on the state's calendar.

CM Dhami acknowledged this directly, noting that the festival 'strengthens our rich cultural traditions and family values while deepening feelings of love, harmony, and mutual unity in society.' His message framed Chhath not as a regional import but as a symbol of Uttarakhand's own cultural diversity.

Dhami's prayer for the state's wellbeing

Closing his message, the Chief Minister offered a prayer to Lord Surya Dev and Chhathi Maiya, expressing hope that the festival brings 'new energy, positivity, and prosperity' to every resident of the state. He specifically invoked the wellbeing, good health, and happiness of all Uttarakhand residents — a formulation that broadens the greeting beyond any single community.

Uttarakhand governments have consistently marked pan-Indian festivals observed locally as a way of acknowledging the state's demographic richness without making specific policy announcements. Chhath greetings from the Chief Minister's office have become a regular feature of the state's official calendar, reflecting the growing size and political visibility of the Purvanchal community within the state.

In the coming days, riverbanks and water bodies across Uttarakhand's districts are expected to fill with devotees observing the four-day ritual — a sight that, year by year, has become as much a part of the state's public life as its own native festivals.